The Portland daily press., 1887-03-21
THE SORROWS OF IRELAND.
Detailed Accounts of Cases Of EvIc-
ton.
How Two Hundred constabIes Spent
the Day.
Irish Correspondent London News.l

Irish Correspondent London Newsl
The first person proceeded against was a
poor old woman named Bridget McGreavy,
in the townland Of Aughabehy. IL took
much climbing before the police reached her
holding. More than once the army Of police
figured Stlihinsfy OH Tie Sky line as tney
mounted the heights. At length the widows
humble cot was pointed out on the ravine-
marked slopes halfway up. the mountain
road and the river in the depth of the valley.
The bulk of the force had to make detour.
following the road in its winding course till
1t began to descend towards the river some
little way beyond the widows house. Then
plunging into the rough, swampy mountain
fields they made for the cottage, like an army
intent on seizing a strategic point. and soon
had it surrounded, leaving clear space Tor
the sub-sheriffs, his bailiffs and emergency
men to do their work. There was no opposi-
tion. A set Of boys and young girls heartily
hooted the agent, and took malicious pleas
ure in pelting him with uncomplimentary re-
marks. The dread Of the Master" as the
agent used TO be called. has departed even
from the remote recesses of Arigna, but no
more hostility was offered. The size of the
force seemed ludicrously out of proportion to
the work to be done, but responsible auth or
tiles held that it was only the strength of the
police that was the guarantee Of peace. On
previous occasions thousands of angry people
had congregated, and it was deemed wise 10
act on the maxim prevention is better than
cure" The officials were also of opinion
that the presence of a newspaper correspond
ent had a restraining influence on the DISPOSE
tlon OF the crowd by mingling with the peO-
pie in way that none of the official class in
Ireland can apparently do. This, as we'll as
other official views regarding the conduct of
the people, struck me as honest but decidedly
fanciful. Imagine, then, the two hundred
police surrounding small cot on the hill
side below the junction Of two ugly assures
in the soil. Nobody spoke favorably of the
wild holding. The rent was only "a. The
sum decreed for was 96-a year and halfs
rent, due year ago. The sheriff's cost le3
l5sl were now, Of course, added. The be
seged resident was picture for sympathe-
tic artist. A little keen-eyed woman with q
petticoat of the coarsest flannel thrown over
her shoulders. a blue shawl over her head, a
coarse maroon-colored shirt, and bare legs
and feet. Her daughter, who might be nine
teen years Of age, was lady In comparison.
Her black dress, boots. orange-colored neck
ribbon, and hair neatly tied back were more
in contrast with the miserable interior than
the mothers garb. The soma growing lad
was dressed like an ordinary farm laborer.
Are you going to pay?" said the sheriff. II
cant't," said the widow and the work was
given to clear the cottage. 1t was an easy
task. A r1ckety structure of stained wood,
combining open shelves and close cupboard,
a small stood. an old chest with few oats in
it, some seanty bed clothing, dish or two,
few potatoes and the turf fire were soon
got out Of the door by the emergency men.
The widow, after many complaints appar-
emily OF what she considered past exactfons,
sank into sullen silence till the boards of her
humble bed We're heard crashing up and
came tumbling through the narrow opening
which served for bedroom window. Then
there was some agitation as to whether it
should not be left unarmed as a fixture, but
1t was decided that the bed
was not really fast to the wall, and
the, few old timbers continued
ing Of small calf, pig, and two goats, were
driven on to other land. To complete the
formal eviction, straw from the thatch was
given by the sheriff to the bailiff. The door
way and windows were built up with stones
The widow was privately warned that If she
attempted re-entry she would be liable TO Inn
prisonment for a criminal offence, and the
two hundred police were marched away over
the river TO another part Of the mountain.
The neighbors Immediately congregated
around the woman to offer their sympathy.
sure, why wouldn't ye be in again, BridgetY'
said one woman. Wouldn't We be as soon In
a Jail as in the back of ditch?" There
now" said another, after making furtiye
ing some of them down, ''the stones are fall
ing down. Why would ye not go n?" Her
COW had died she explained TO me, and she
had not been able to pay any more rent since
December, 1884, when an extra pound and
six-pence was taken from her for COSTS
Searching for her receipts she disclosed the
recesscs Of her cupboard, but there was no
sign of money or food In them, as far as /
could see. In order to make the search, she
had to let go her apron IN which she had
been cherishing something all through the
trouble of the eviction.
I've got my cateen Qlttle cat here, she
explained with smile, forgetting her cares
for moment while she laughed with her
neighbors. They, on their part, were all
ready with sympathetic offers Of aid 10 rid
her tenderly Of this embarrassment. 1t was
touching to see the comical air OF brayado
with which they conceived and executed the
daring plot of putting the kitten back into
the building they dare not themselves enter.
Put IN the pig, now" said an eager neigh
Dor This was clever, consolatorv foueh
for the poor w0man's heart was obyionSlv In
her animals, and she had special tender
ness Tor the pig. When telling me Of her
stock her eyes frightened at the mention of
the little porker, and she proudly explained
~ 5 a little pig got from friend beyant
Aea1lre but the pig was not so little as to
90 IN without pulling down too many Of the